Eliot Ness: The Real Story

by Paul W. Heimel

This is the definitive biography of the famous crimefighter, Eliot Ness.
Behind the Hollywood legend portrayed by Robert Stack and Kevin Costner is a fascinating and highly effective lawman whose courage and cunning helped the federal government bring down Scarface Al Capone in gangland Chicago. Ness went on to enjoy a successful law enforcement career in Cleveland, ridding the city of corrupt cops and organized crime figures. You've heard the legend; now learn the REAL STORY.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography

340 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1997

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliot Ness was a legendary lawman in the twenties and thirties. But entertaining as they are, the various Untouchables movies and television shows don't paint an accurate picture of him.

And The Untouchables (by Ness and Oscar Fraley) and Four Against the Mob (by Fraley) tell part of the story, but leave a lot of detail out, including just about any unflattering pieces.

Heimel's book is the first true attempt at an unbiased look at Ness' life. And have no doubt, Eliot Ness did some amazing things in law enforcement. His time as Cleveland's Public Safety Director is more episode-filled than his Chicago days. As of 2003, there is not a better book out there on Eliot Ness.

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[FellowBibliophile KvK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb biography that reveals that Ness' major accomplishments were during his tenure as the Prefect/SSPF of Cleveland, as opposed to his brief tenure in Chicago. Specifically, crime went down after Ness led a raid into and demolished the "safe injection sites" of that day in Cleveland.

[Kris Dickinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this wasnt as good as Id hoped although it WAS full of facts and history. It was more about his career than about the man himself. I would have liked more personal detail. Other than that, it was ok